As the burial programme of the son of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Dare Adeboye commences, youths of the church have gone bald as a sign of last respect for the deceased.
The development, according to the youths of the church was to honour Pastor Dare Adeboye, who has been widely described as a ‘soldier’ as well as to appreciate his great impact on the development of the youth department of the church at large.
This act had flooded virtually all social media with an #forPDee #NotTodaySatan as part of the effort to honour the ‘fallen soldier’.
The two surviving sons of the notable cleric, Pastor Adeolu Adeboye and Pastor Leke Adeboye, also joined the league of youths of the church to go bald in honour of their late brother.
According to Leke Adeboye, development was to honour Pastor Dare Adeboye as well as to demonstrate ‘a clean heart and a clean soul as a Christian’.
“Yes, we have done a hashtag for PD as a sign of respect. The Bible says; Paul was talking to the people of Philippians and Philistines that to live is Christ, and to die is gain. It is actually simple because it is His gain to win a soul. PD is already gone, so what are you going to do? How are you living right now? What is going to happen with you when you pass on? #forPDee, hair shaved, clean hearts and clean minds,” he said.
Pastor Dare Adeboye, the son of the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, was announced dead on Thursday, 6th May, 2021.
The 42-year-old was the third child of the revered cleric. Dare died in his sleep on Wednesday in Eket, Akwa Ibom State, where he was based with his family.
RCCG spokesman, Pastor Olaitan Olubiyi, confirmed the tragedy on Thursday morning.
“It is true,” Olubiyi said.
“The incident happened in Eket where he was based. I don’t have the details for now. Maybe before the end of today, we will issue a statement.”
Dare, the Assistant Pastor in charge of Region (Youth) 35, would have been 43 years old next month, June.
On his 42nd birthday, Pastor Adeboye described him as his first miracle child.
“Our first miracle child. We pray that God will keep his miraculous working power in your life and all those who need a miracle today, will use you as a point of contact for their own in Jesus’ name. (Amen) love from Dad, Mom, and the whole Adeboye dynasty,” Adeboye posted on social media in June 2020.
Dare was happily married with children.
Leke, Dare’s brother mourned his sibling in an Instagram post, saying “The righteous man perishes [at the hand of evil], and no one takes it to heart; faithful and devout men are taken away while no one understands that the righteous person is taken away [to be spared] from disaster and evil (Isiah 57:1).”
Making his first appearance after his son’s demise at the Holy Communion Service of the May Edition of the church’s Holy Ghost Service in programme themed, ‘Overflowing Blessings’; Pastor Enoch Adeboye, on the Thursday evening sermon, said, “The bread multiplied in the hands of the disciples, as you receive the bread, it will multiply in your hands.”
Preaching from John 6: 5-13 on Thursday night, the older Adeboye stressed on the importance of the bread and wine of the Holy Communion.
The cleric spoke from the studio of the church’s station, DOVE Media, while members of his church congregated in the auditorium along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and in other places across the world watched him.
Adeboye, who kept mute on the passing of his son, was visibly heartbroken and troubled.
After the sermon, the officiating minister in the auditorium said, “Tonight, daddy has prayed for us. He has also prayed on all the elements that we are going to use – the bread and the wine. I am here not standing in for him because I am too small to stand in for him; I am only here to deliver the message as a messenger. He could have been here physically as he used to but due to circumstances beyond control, he was not able to be here but to the Glory of God, he has said to us, Jesus is here and he is also there praying for us.”
Adeboye was not the first pastor to preach shortly after losing a loved one. Last year, the Senior Pastor of Trinity House, Ituah Ighodalo, ministered at a funeral hours after losing his wife, Ibidunni.
What Islamic Group Thinks
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has said that God had allowed the death of Dare, third son of Pastor Enoch Adeboye, to test the faith of his father and that of his church members.
The group said this in a message of condolence it sent to Pastor Adeboye, who is the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
Adeboye had sometime last year during his 42nd birthday described the deceased as a miracle child.
And MURIC, in a statement signed by its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, said that Dare’s death was a test of faith for Pastor Adeboye and his followers.
“We are deeply touched by the death of Pastor Enoch Adeboye’s son, Dare Adeboye, at 42. But we know that it will pass,” MURIC said.
“This is a trial to test the faith of Pastor Adeboye, his family members and his followers. We must be strong in tribulation. We must not be shaken because it is written that we may have to suffer various trials (I Peter 1:6).
“MURIC commiserates with Pastor Enoch Adeboye, his family and the entire members of the Redeemed Church. May Allah give them the strength to bear the loss,” the group said.
What Adeboye Thinks
Pastor Enoch Adeboye urged everyone to always thank God for the privilege of meeting with Dare when he was alive.
Speaking on Friday night at the May 2021 edition of the church’s Holy Ghost service, Adeboye said: “It is well even in the face of crises rather than ‘blame and question God’.”
He added: “Whatever we have is given to us by God, be it wealth, wife, husband, children e.t.c and if it got taken away by God, all we can do is give God glory for actually giving us the privilege to enjoy that wealth or kids temporarily and it is not for us to complain, blame and question God.”
Making reference to bible passage, Ezekiel 24:16, he said, “God took away Ezekiel’s wife and asked him not to mourn over her”.
“What we see as sorrows might be joy in the sight of God, I mean His ways and thoughts are not the same with ours, we shouldn’t forget that both good and bad happen at God’s command. (Lamentations 3:38).
“Finally in all things let’s learn to say thank you father and It is well. God bless all of you in Jesus’ name.
“There is a peace that passes human understanding. It is only God that can give that peace. I thank God that I have that peace.”
Adeboye’s son’s funeral rites begin, reactions
Nigerian Pastor, TB Joshua has sent a message of condolence to Pastor Enoch Adeboye and the Redeemed Christian Church Of God (RCCG) over the sudden death of Pastor Dare Adeboye.
According to Joshua, the sad event would not have happened if God did not permit it, adding that He needed no human’s approval to his will.
“God does not need our permit; God’s time is the best,” the cleric said in a live broadcast on Emmanuel TV.
“It is not how long we live that matters but how well we live,” he added
He called on his congregants to pray for God to comfort and strengthen the family and the RCCG.
“Let us observe a moment of silence in remembrance of Pastor Dare Adeboye,” Joshua concluded.
RCCG had earlier announced that burial activities for Dare will commence on Sunday 9th May 2021.
A statement by the church signed by Leke Adeboye, the younger brother of the deceased, said a special service would be held on Sunday, May 9, at the City of David Youth Church in Eket, Akwa Ibom.
The statement said thanksgiving songs and tribute would be held on Monday, May 10, between 4pm and 6pm, at the RCCG House of Favour, Redemption Camp, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
It added that this would be followed by a farewell service on Tuesday, May 11, at the Youth Centre, RCCG Redemption Camp.
“With our hearts full of gratitude, we appreciate you, for standing by our family in this period of trial. We are consoled, no doubt, by the fact that our beloved son has returned home, to rest in the bosom to his maker and father.
“Our confident assurance is rooted in the life of selflessness and sacrifice our son lived for Jesus Christ, our Saviour.
“Thank you so much for your prayers and words of encouragement.
“Our prayer is that we will all make it to that glorious home, in Jesus mighty name,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, has offered condolences to the bereaved family.
In a statement he released on his social media pages on Friday, the former Lagos State governor said Pastor Dare’s ministry helped bring the word of God to many Nigerians across the country.
He added that the deceased also lived a life of exemplary service to God and to His Church.
“Pastor Dare will be remembered with the deepest affection and love not only by his family but also by the multitude of people whose lives he touched with his ministry.
“May Almighty God give abiding peace and comfort to Pastor Dare’s parents, wife, children and the whole RCCG family so that they might have the strength to bear this loss.
“Let us honor Pastor Dare by committing ourselves to a life of compassion and togetherness that Pastor Dare believed in,” he added.
Also, Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has commiserated with General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, and his family over the death of his son, Pastor Dare.
Also, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State has commiserated with Adeboye, saying the news of the untimely passing of Dare came as a great shock.
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State also expressed shock and sadness over the death of Adeboye’s son.
